GPinfo.nl: reliable health information for internationals
Today, the Dutch College of General Practitioners (Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap, NHG) has launched GPinfo.nl, a website offering reliable and up-to-date information on health topics and healthcare in the Netherlands. The website aims to empower people with health-related questions, and to support GPs in their care for English-speaking patients.
GPinfo.nl is the English version of Thuisarts.nl. Thuisarts.nl is an independent health information website in Dutch, based on scientific guidelines of general practitioners and medical specialists and guidelines for people with mental health issues. The information provided on the website is clear and easy to understand for non-medical readers. GPinfo.nl contains a selection of topics from the Dutch website and will be available as a pilot project (try-out) until the end of 2020. Internationals are encouraged to visit the site and leave feedback, in order to improve the website and help evaluate the pilot project.
Expected gains
The Dutch equivalent of GPinfo.nl, Thuisarts.nl, has almost 5 million unique visitors each month and is recognised by Dutch national authorities. It is used by almost all GPs in their consultations. Visiting GPinfo.nl can help people with health-related questions to feel better informed. They can find out what they can do themselves and be more prepared when they visit their GP. The website also helps people to decide whether or not a GP-visit is needed.
GPinfo.nl currently contains a selection of important topics, such as information on the most common health issues, how to prepare for a consultation with your GP, how healthcare is organised in the Netherlands and where to find more information.
Evaluation
This pilot project aims to show the potential impact of an English version of Thuisarts.nl, in terms of its impact on internationals and GP practice. NHG will collect feedback of users of GPinfo.nl through an exit survey and interviews. At the same time, NHG will collect feedback from GPs through interviews and an online survey. The feedback will help improve the service. If results of the pilot project are positive, NHG may expand the number of English topics and make a case for a permanent multilingual Thuisarts.nl/GPinfo.nl website.
Collaboration
GPinfo.nl has been established in collaboration with internationals, GPs who mainly work with internationals and Healthcare for internationals (H4i.nl), a non-profit network that aims to improve accessibility of Dutch healthcare for international patients. The content of
GPinfo.nl was created by the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG) in collaboration with the Dutch Federation of Medical Specialists, Akwa GGZ (quality alliance for mental healthcare), the Netherlands Patients Federation, and Healthcare for internationals.
// Note for the editor:
Contact: NHG Freke Zuure f.zuure@nhg.org 06 51 12 56 19 H4i Dirk Jan Frijling dirkjan.frijling@h4i.nl 06 53 58 84 33
